1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an HVAC system and a scent disperser arrangement in the HVAC system in residential and commercial establishments. More particularly, the invention relates to a scent disperser arrangement comprising a flow sensor and one or more scent disperser assemblies; a computer program for operating the scent disperser assemblies; a pressurized reservoir containing one or more pressurized liquid scent canisters wherein a pressure differential in the reservoir triggers the flow of liquid from the scent canisters into the reservoir; and a unique design for the canister of the scent disperser assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Deodorizers are currently used to deodorize commodes and urinals, particularly in the restrooms of institutions and places frequented by the public, although they may also be used in homes. Deodorizer cabinets or frames are generally provided for such deodorizers. Examples of such cabinets or frames are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,533,705; 5,816,846; and 6,105,916. These dispensers provide a drive selectively using a large or small motor providing an air stream for generating vapor from a wick, ceramic wafers, or discs containing vaporizable deodorant and reversible drive mounting mounted back-to-back. U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,779 discloses a framed fluid delivery device that includes a fluid delivery cartridge for the timed-release delivery of a fluid. These known deodorant dispensers are commonly used and recognized by the public because of their use for dispersing fragrances in hostile environments, such as restrooms where it is desirous to control the nature of the atmosphere.
Building dwellers are concerned with the quality of the ambient indoor air. Offensive orders affect the quality of indoor air, and the art has provided several systems for masking these odors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,597 pertains generally to the field of fragrance distribution inside buildings and pertains specifically to dispensing selected types and quantities of fragrances into the existing heating-ventilation-air condition (HVAC) ductwork that supplies air to different rooms within the building. This '597 patent discloses a fragrance dispensing apparatus and a method for use of the apparatus in a multi-room building having an existing HVAC system ventilated by a forcing fan. The apparatus includes fragrance containers, several solenoids, programmable timers and a single fan timer. The fragrance container is mounted in communication with the HVAC ductwork leading into a given room and is controlled by a separate solenoid, which is in turn, controlled by a separate programmable timer. All of the programmable timers are connected to the single fan timer which controls the operation of the forcing fan. The method allows one or more of the programmable timers to activate corresponding containers to dispense fragrances as the forcing fan runs to distribute the fragrances into the rooms supplied by the ductwork.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,583 discloses an aerosol air and ductwork treatment apparatus for HVAC systems. The apparatus includes a housing which is received on the exterior of a central air conditioning ductwork communicating with the interior of the ductwork downstream of the existing return air filter and fan system for discharging air treatment chemicals into the air flowing through the ductwork, and is connected to the existing electrical circuitry with an adjustable timer and is manually operable by a push button switch to control the operation of an aerosol dispenser for a selective period of time and to run the existing fan system for a selective period of time following the operation of the aerosol dispenser to distribute the air treatment chemicals throughout the ductworks and into the rooms served thereby.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,992 discloses a ductwork air freshener apparatus for distributing fresh air evenly throughout the building using the existing air ductworks. The ductwork air freshener apparatus includes a housing assembly designed to be mounted to the ductwork of the house. A pressurized air freshener container is removably inserted into the housing assembly. An actuation assembly actuates the pressurized air freshener container whereby the deodorizing fragrance is designed for introduction into the ductwork. The actuation assembly is coupled to the housing assembly. A control assembly is coupled to the housing and is operationally coupled to the actuation assembly whereby the control assembly actuates the actuation assembly upon the control assembly satisfying a predetermined condition. As disclosed in column 5, lines 32 to 35, a predetermined condition is a drop in pressure around the sensor switch when the air flow in the ductwork is moving past the sensor switch. The sensor switch is part of the control assembly and is operationally coupled to the actuation assembly whereby the sensor switch actuates the actuation assembly when the sensor switch detects the predetermined condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,169 discloses an air scenting device for use in mechanical HVAC systems wherein air is circulated within an interior space. An HVAC housing has an ambient air inlet end and an outlet end connected to an air outlet ducting which disperses filtered air into the surrounding environment. Mounted in the housing is a filter and a fan or blower assembly for controlling the ambient air flow through the housing in the direction indicated by arrows a and b from the inlet end of the housing through the filter from the filter's upstream facing surface to its downstream facing surface and then to outlet end of the housing and into the air outlet ducting for distribution into the surrounding environment. An aqueous scenting composition is applied in spray form directly onto the filter medium from a suitable spray application device which may be a simple button operated spray jar or may be a more technically advanced pump arrangement having a head assembly with interchangeable orifice caps to provide nozzles of varying dimensions for accurate adjustment of the spray droplet size in the spray sprayed onto the surface of the filter medium of the air filters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,529 discloses a housing mounted to the ductwork of a hot air heating system or a central air conditioning system and includes a pressure differential switch having a sensing tube to sense the forced air flow in actuating a spray dispenser to discharge a freshening, deodorizing and/or disinfecting spray through a nozzle. In securing the dispenser in position between clips, its orientation is such that the discharge nozzle of the dispenser extends rearward towards the aperture of housing to join with a hose coupling the nozzle through the housing and into the ductwork. The hose sprays a misted product into the ductwork.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,992 relates to a ductwork air freshener apparatus for distributing fresh air evenly throughout the building using the existing air ductworks. The ductwork air freshener apparatus includes a housing assembly designed for mounting to the ductwork of the house. A pressurized air freshener container is removably inserted into the housing assembly. An actuation assembly is for actuating the pressurized air freshener container whereby the deodorizing fragrance is designed for introduction into the ductwork of the house. The actuation assembly is coupled to the housing assembly. A control assembly is coupled to the housing and is operationally coupled to the actuation assembly whereby the control assembly actuates the actuation assembly upon the control assembly satisfying a predetermined condition. As disclosed in column 5, lines 32 to 35, a predetermined condition is a drop in pressure around the sensor switch when the air flow in the ductwork is moving past the sensor switch. The sensor switch is part of the control assembly and is operationally coupled to the actuation assembly whereby the sensor switch actuates the actuation assembly when the sensor switch detects the predetermined condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,873 discloses a low fluid indicator for a fluid injection system of the type having a sealed pressurized canister, and a valve responsive to a control signal to release fluid from the canister. If the system is intended to disinfect or deodorize a space serviced by a forced air HVAC system, the fluid in the canister can be suitable deodorant or disinfectant.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0230091 discloses a user-programmable monitoring and dispensing system for controlling the dispensing of water vapor and various other media into an HVAC air stream in residential or commercial structures. These materials may be fragrances or aromas, intended to produce an aesthetic effect, or they can be agents capable of pesticidal, bacteriacidal, fungicidal or sporacidal effect for use as acute treatment for infestation as disclosed in the abstract. As disclosed in paragraph [0023] the HVAC system illustrated includes an air movement generating device, such as a blower which generates an air stream which pass through ductwork work to a desired residential or commercial space. Positioned downstream from the blower, heat exchanger and A/C coil, in the direction of air movement, is a pressure or flow sensor . . . a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor . . . , all of which are connected to a system central processor . . . for providing air stream sensor inputs as to the air movement, moisture content of the air stream and the air stream temperature to the system central processor . . . . However, it is to be understood that separate dispensers may be utilized in various truck ductworks as well as the central plenum for dispersal of the medium into specific locations serviced by the HVAC system.
None of the known scent dispenser/dispenser systems provide a desirable combination of element for detecting airflow through the HVAC ducting to thereby effect control of the scent spray. The known systems are essentially on-off systems controlled by way of timers or computer programs where a stoppage of air flow through the HVAC ducting would not cause the scent spray to cease or to resume when the air flow resumes. Also, the known systems are not designed to allow their component to be selectively located at different locations of the HVAC ducting. There is a need to provide improved scent dispenser assemblies arrangements in an HVAC system which would be responsive to air flow or stoppage of air flow.